THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL,

1 Samuel 7 ©

The ark is carried and placed in Kirjath-jearim, v. 1, etc. Samuel exhorts the people to repentance, and putting away of idols, 3. The Israelites obey him, 4. A Fast or day of Humiliation, 6. The Philistines intend to set upon the Israelites: the Israelites are afraid, 7. Samuel offers and prays unto the Lord for Israel: he and the people are heard, 9. The Lord terrifies the Philistines with thunder, and they are smitten, 10. Samuel sets up a stone at Mizpeh, for a memorial of the victory, 12. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines, as long as Samuel lived, 13. The Israelites recover those cities, which the Philistines had taken from them, 14. Samuel passes through and visits all the cities of the land, 16. And returns to Ramah, 17.

1

AND the men of 1Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, anda brought it into the house of Abinadab 2in the hill, and 3sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

2

And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel 4lamented after the LORD.

3

¶And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away 5the strange gods and 6Ashtaroth from among you, and prepareb your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4

Then the children of Israel did put away 7Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

5

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to 8Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

6

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and 9poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel 10judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

7

And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, 11the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid 12of the Philistines.

8

And the children of Israel said to Samuel, 13Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9

¶And Samuel took a 14sucking lamb, and 15offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD 16heard him.

10

And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great 17thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfitedc them; and they were smitten before Israel.

11

And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

12

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and 18Shen, and called the name of it 19Eben-ezer,d saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

13

¶So the Philistines were subdued, and they 20came 21no more 22into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14

And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And 23there was peace between Israel and 24the Amorites.

15

And Samuel 25judged Israel 26all the days of his life.

16

And he went from year to year in circuit to 27Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

17

And his 28return was to 29Ramah; for thereewas his house; and 30there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.